Saulosian
The Saulosians, (Latin name Silex Lingua Meaning: Sharp Tongue), are a race of warm-blooded sentient saurian species that were highly adaptable, resilient, intelligent, ignorant as well as being well versed in war that inhabitated the far reaches of the galaxy. The Saulosians are named after their home world, Saulos. During the Saulosian Campaign the humans referred to them as Space Raptors or Sharptooths, due to their likeness to raptors of prehistory Earth. The Saulosians are the heads of the Saulosian Directorate as well as provide the millitary backbone for its armies. They had achieved Tier 2 status without outside intervention and had some important advancements that places some of their technologies in the Tier 1 category. The Saulosians fielded several unique technologies that were never seen until they had attacked the UNSC and its allies. Shadowed Beginnings The history of the Saulosian species as a whole was a rather hazy one. Any history that predates the Saulosian Directorate has mysteriously disappeared, either from the misuse of documents or for a more sinister purpose. From known information, Saulosian started with the formation of the Saulosian Directorate, the reason why for this is rather unknown but it is believed that the intelligence arm of the governments knows the truth for this occurrence but even they are told a small amount rather than the whole picture. The reason for this, as it was stated by the Conclave Elder, was that when Kornak Altos formed the Saulosian Directorate from his allies and conquered enemies, he immediately decreed to have all Saulosian History to be gathered and purged, as he believed that if his people discovered the great nation they once were, they would revolt and try to reestablish it. Thus, he decreed for the destruction of the documents. Anyone who resisted or questioned his order was quickly eliminated. However, the first and original Conclave of 13 had foreseen this event and they took several precautions to preserve their history but if they were to be discovered performing this act, the entire Conclave would be executed for treason and disobeying his orders. The Conclave was able to gather the valuable and necessary documents via unknown means and they placed them within a vast underground complex on their fortress world. Originally documents, they were later be stored or converted to files that would be placed into a large computer system simply known as the Network or Archives. To search through the vast amounts of information, an AI would be required to help aid the user. The AI also had a dual purpose, as it had a hand in indoctrinating the New Members of the Conclave. After all the supposed documents were purged, Kornak conducted a massive indoctrination program to the entire Saulosian Race (Conclave Excluded), building massive centers for this specific purpose. Anyone who attempted to resist was instantly put down to forestall any discontent. After years, the program was finally done, any previous history was soon forgotten, sinking into the sands of times. Due to the program’s effects, it was truly a new beginning. True History Beginnings The Saulosian Race originated on their homeworld of Saulos, in the Gedassa System in an unknown region of the Galaxy, most likely above the Scrutum-Centaurus Arm. From recent excavations performed by Saulosian archeologists, trace amounts of the Forerunners were found, indicating that they inhabitated this part of the galaxy. At 66,000 B.C., the Saulosians were once primitive reptoids that utilized a hunter pack mentality to hunt the larger predators that dominated their homeworld. Living in harsh conditions, the species was forced to undertake a number of unique adaptations that still remains to this day. One such adaptation was the development of a somewhat weird addition to their body. Simply referred to the nose tongue, it is an additional tongue firmly located at the openings of the nose. Strangely enough, it doesn’t distort their oxygen intake. The nose tongue is used for hunting and defensive purposes. It allows them to ”taste" the air, letting them know whether or not hostiles are close. It also allows them to memorize their kin scents, therefore, allowing no deception among them. Due to these unruly adaptations, the primitive Saulosians were able to overcome the obstacle their homeworld had to offer. Unlike the smaller Saulosians, who used their adaptations for survival, the larger and more dangerous animals that resided on Saulos relied on their immense strength and size for survival. It proved effective at one point, allowing them to rise up in the planets food chain. And with this, they had no need for evolution, staying the same for countless years. However, this came to be their undoing. Somewhere at this point of time, an apocalyptic event had occurred on the planet, resulting in the dominant species demise, as they had no way to counter the sudden and drastic changes that had been brought about. From further analysis, it was determined that the casue for the mass extinction was by the eruption of a super volcano called Cilith's Sleeping Maw. After the eruption had occurred, the volcano had sunk it and the small continent it was situated upon. The volcano has since been dormant but many skeptics theorize that the volcano would erupt again, leading to another extinction on their homeworld. Miraculously, the Saulosians had survived the eruption, although, the Saulosians that inhabited the Northern and Eastern Hemisphere of the planet were all but wiped out by an unknown cause, whilst the Western and Southern Hemisphere inhabitants were able to survive.